By day, Ben is a mild-mannered acoustical consultant, but by night… he’s a mild-mannered bass trombonist. He’s also an arranger, hobbyist website designer, live sound engineer, and recording/mastering engineer whenever he can fit it in.
CV
Benjamin Wolf is a senior acoustical consultant with a Master of Science in Architectural Acoustics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He specializes in analysis and recommendations for the spaces and structures needed to provide acoustically effective and comfortable environments.
Ben joined ABD Engineering and Design, Inc. in 2016 after four years with Daly-Standlee & Associates. He has worked on architectural projects, including field testing of wall and floor/ceiling systems, HVAC noise analysis, the specification and design of acoustic partitions, and acoustical treatments in churches, movie theaters, offices, apartment buildings, hospitals, and schools. His environmental noise studies include mine and quarry sites, light rail, highway and roadway noise, along with power and industrial facilities.
Ben uses 3D acoustic modeling software to provide a detailed analysis and recommendations for room acoustics, sound distribution, and speech intelligibility. As part of his master’s thesis, he modeled accurate acoustical representations of several famous music performance venues allowing musicians to hear their performance simulated in those spaces, in real time, as if they were standing on stage. He has used his expertise in acoustic modeling for a particularly reverberant cathedral to diagnose the existing acoustics and design an appropriate sound system. The system uses digital audio connections to Tannoy line arrays – the first time such a system has ever been implemented in the United States.
In his spare time, Ben plays bass trombone with a wide variety of local groups. He enjoys web design and recording live sound.
Professional Experience
- 2020-Present – Senior Acoustical Consultant, ABD Engineering and Design, Inc., Portland, Oregon
- 2016-2019 – Acoustical Consultant, ABD Engineering and Design, Inc., Portland, Oregon
- 2012-2016 – Acoustical Consultant, Daly-Standlee & Associates, Portland, Oregon
Professional Memberships
- Institute of Noise Control Engineers (INCE) – INCE Board Certified
- American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM)
- Acoustical Society of America (ASA)
- American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
- National Council of Acoustical Consultants (NCAC)
- U.S. Green Building Council
- Sigma Xi Research
Education
- Master of Science in Architectural Sciences, Emphasis in Architectural Acoustics, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, New York, 2012
- Bachelor of Arts in Physics, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota, 2011
- Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, Minnesota, 2011